This is a new one for us but thought you would like it as well.
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 large blood oranges
- 1 Jicama (1 lb.) peeled and julienned
- 1 lb. Vidalia onions, peeled
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, leaves cut in half
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Heat broiler. Rub a medium size bowl with the garlic and discard. Remove the peel and pitch from the oranges.
Reserving the orange juice, cut the oranges into quarters, then each cut each quarter crosswise into thin triangles. Put the oranges, juice and julienned jicama in the bowl and set aside.
Slice the onions crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds, keeping them in tact. Brush each one with the olive oil (both sides) and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil the onions about 5 minutes, remove from the oven and turn them over and then return to the oven to broil for another 5 minutes. Separate the rings and add to the salad bowl.
Add the parsley leaves, lime juice, vinegar to taste and add the remaining olive oil and toss to completely cover all the leaves.
Serve with a warm dinner roll and this will suit either a beef or fish entrée.
Winter’s Salad
Of course, we should still eat salads in the cold winter months, and this is a flavourful one, easy to make, nothing outrageous to purchase. Give it a try!
- 2 large blood oranges
- 1 small head of chicory, torn into small pieces
- 2 heads of Belgian endive, sliced into 1/4 inch slivers
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Arbequina olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
Peel the skin off the oranges and all the pith. Holding the oranges over a bowl to catch the juice, cut the membrane on the orange sections and carefully remove.
Put the orange sections in a bowl and set aside. Squeeze any remaining juice from the membranes into the bowl holding the juice.
Add the greens, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper to the bowl with the orange sections. Add the orange juice and toss to mix well.
Serve immediately.
Told you it was simple…..tasty……fresh….and, oh yeah, healthy.
Escarole, Fennel and Blood Orange Salad
This is a refreshing salad with a bit of a twist.
- 2 Blood oranges
- 2 medium fennel, stalks discarded and bulbs halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- pinch of salt
- small pinch of pepper
- 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 heads escarole (dark leaves discarded), pale yellow and green leaves torn into bite sized pieces
Grate finely enough zest from one orange to measure 1 tbsp.
Cut and peel skins from both oranges and separate the membranes from the orange segments. Cut the segments in half (1/2 inch pieces)
Cut out and discard the core of the fennel bulbs and cut crosswise into thin slices.
Whisk together the vinegar, all the zest, salt and pepper into a small bowl and add the oil in a steady stream, whisking until well combined.
Toss the escarole, fennel and blood orange segments in a bowl and combine the dressing well.
Serve with a great bread, glass of wine….ta da awesome time.
Roasted Beet and Blood Orange Salad
Salads sound good, especially good when you want to close the blinds and block out the tail end of winter. Think warm, sunny days on the deck…at the lake…having a lazy Sunday….on and on! This will serve 6 guests.
- 6 small beets (3 yelllow and 3 red would be awesome)
- 2 large blood oranges
- Baby mixed spring greens
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium, minced shalot
- 2 pinches of salt
- 2 pinches of pepper
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- few thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wrap the beets individually in tin foil and bake about 1- 1 1/2 hours until fork tender. Remove beets from oven, unwrap and cool a few minutes before handling. Wearing gloves, peel and slice the beets into eighths. Set aside.
Peel the oranges and remove as much of the pith (white) as you can. Now with a grapefruit knife, remove each segment from their skin.
Place the segments in a bowl. If there is anything left in the skins, squeeze whatever juice you can and sprinkle over the segments in the bowl.
Make the dressing and whisk it all together until well blended.
Now on salad plates, place some of the greens in the centre of each plate. Place some of the beets pieces on each plate (if using yellow and red beets, mix them up), sprinkle the orange segments around the plate and drizzle the dressing over it all.
Warm rolls, glass of crisp, chilled wine…voila! Pure enjoyment in a meal.
Orange Pound Cake
Pound cake is a wonderful “just in case” cake to have in the freezer. Bake two…one for now and one for “just in case my mother-in-law should appear”.
- 8 ounces butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 large Blood Oranges, zested
- 1 tsp. orange extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of salt
Allow the ingredients above to be at room temperature for better results.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans and set aside.
In your mixer combine the butter and sugar and beat until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time and beatinmg until well combined. Add the zest and extract with the flour and salt, 1/2 cup at a time until batter is eally smooth.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake until the tops dome and are slightly golden. 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly and unmold on wire racks.
Glaze
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh Blood orange juice
With your mixer combine the sugar and juice together then whisk on high until really smooth. After removing cakes from pans, drizzle over each cake. You can add toasted pecans, chopped fine as a garnish on top.
Enjoy, this is a real winner! Just add fresh coffee/tea……hmmmm
Add the orange zest
Colour Me Orange Martini
I seem to be on a martini kick again. It is so much fun…This one is too easy but yummy.
- 2 parts Orange Vodka
- 1 part Grand marnier
Pour into shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses and garnish with (what else?) an orange twist.
I did say this was easy didn’t I? Hint: you can use blood oranges as well. they have a “finer” flavour.
Taste Rating: 8.5